Furore over ‘parachuted’ adviser who landed top Parliament job

THE European Parliament is under fire for ‘parachuting’ a political adviser into a top post within the institution, just weeks after MEPs severely criticised the European Commission for failing to crack down on the practice.

Two long-serving officials have complained formally about a decision to appoint Parliament President José María Gil-Robles' Spanish chef de cabinet to the newly created post of director-general in charge of finance and budgetary control.

A former fisheries minister in Galicia, Enrique López Veiga worked as a middle ranking A- grade official in the Commission before becoming Gil-Robles' most senior adviser when he took over as president of the Parliament two years ago.

López Veiga was promoted to his present post last July, filling a vacancy created by taking responsibility for budgetary and financial issues away from the Parliament's Directorate-General for personnel.

Critics of the appointment claim the formal procedures laid down in the staff regulations were not respected, particularly once the Parliament had decided not to appoint someone already on the institution's permanent staff. "Normally you would promote within the institution. But if you decide to go outside, then that decision is meaningless if you do not publicise it so that a wide range of people may apply," said one official.

In this case, the Parliament's bureau decided to look for an outside candidate on a Monday evening and, according to insiders, appointed López Veiga the same week. The chef de cabinet, who was not eligible at the start of the selection process since he was not a permanent parliamentary official, is understood to have been the only candidate.

In addition to challenging the procedure used, critics also maintain that López Veiga's professional background in fisheries meant he did not have the necessary experience to match the job description attached to the new post, which carries with it responsibility for a h1-billion annual budget.

"He may have been good at his previous jobs, but frankly his background does not appear to qualify him for the whole preparation, management, control and accounting of a lot of taxpayers' money," said one.

The Parliament's bureau examined the formal complaints earlier this month and is understood to be standing by its decision to appoint López Veiga. If it refuses to back down, critics will have two months to decide whether to lodge a complaint with the Court of First Instance in Luxembourg.

The judges have increasingly found against the Parliament in staff cases in recent years. Another reversal would be extremely embarrassing for the institution, not least because it would undermine MEPs' efforts to stamp out parachuting in the Commission.